NAIROBI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya in conjunction with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will next week host an exhibition to showcase the contribution of rural women to the growth of electronic media.
UNESCO said the three-day expo whose theme is "On Air with Rural Women" will display photos and audio visual content that illustrate the role of female gender in transforming electronic media landscape in Kenya and other African countries.
"Including women's voices on Air matters and we have been empowering local radio stations with ICTs to improve their capacity in this arena," UNESCO said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
It added that 59 radio stations in 10 African countries have benefited from capacity building in gender responsive reporting and programming.
Kenya is among Sub-Saharan African countries that have benefited from the "empowering local radios with ICTs project" funded by UNESCO and bilateral partners to elevate the role of electronic media in transforming communities.
Other African countries that have benefited from this project include Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho and South Africa.
"The project is centered on capacity building activities and teaching long-term skills to local radio journalists, particularly on the use of ICTs to modernize the station's operations, improve the quality of programs and geographical coverage," said UNESCO.
Kenya's thriving electronic media scene gave the country a vantage position to host a three day summit which begins on July 24 to showcase the role of rural women in driving change through use of radio as a medium of disseminating information.
"The exhibition focuses on the role of women in local radios, their empowerment through gender-sensitive programming, issues of local concern and investigative journalism, as well as on financial planning to ensure long-run viability of local stations," said UNESCO.
It added that mentorship targeting owners of community radio stations and journalists will enhance their role in promoting good governance, transparency and enlightenment at the local level.
"The exhibition demonstrates how local radio stations with the necessary tools and skills play an important role to inform their communities, who are in return able to make enlightened choices about their lives," said UNESCO.
